CHAPTER XI.
KATY MEETS WITH EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS.
"Buy some candy?" said Katy to the first gentleman she met.
He did not even deign to glance at her; and five or six attempts tosell a stick of candy were failures; but when she remembered thesuccess that had followed her disappointment in the morning, she didnot lose her courage. Finding that people in the street would not buy,she entered a shop where the clerks seemed to be at leisure, though shedid not do so without thinking of the rude manner in which she had beenejected from a store in the forenoon.
"Buy some candy?" said she to a good-natured young gentleman, who wasleaning over his counter waiting for a customer.
"How do you sell it?"
"Cent a stick; it is very nice. I sold fourteen sticks of it to themayor this forenoon. He said it was good."
"You don't say so? Did he give you a testimonial?"
"No; he gave me half a dollar."
The clerk laughed heartily at Katy's misapprehension of his word, andhis eye twinkled with mischief. It was plain that he was not a greatadmirer of molasses candy, and that he only wanted to amuse himself atKaty's expense.
"You know what they do with quack medicines--don't you?"
"Yes, I do; some folks are fools enough to take them," replied Katy,smartly.
"That's a fact; but you don't understand me. Dr. Swindlehanger, roundthe corner, would give the mayor a hundred dollars to say his patentelixir is good. Now, if you could only get the mayor's name on a papersetting forth the virtues of your candy, I dare say you could sell athousand sticks in a day. Why don't you ask him for such a paper?"
"I don't want any paper, except to wrap up my candy in. But you don'twant to buy any candy, I see;" and Katy moved towards some more clerksat the other end of the store.
"Yes, I do; stop a minute. I want to buy six sticks for my children!"
"For what?"
"For my grandchildren."
"You are making fun of me," said Katy, who could see this, though theyoung man was so pleasant and so funny, she could not be offended withhim. "I don't believe your mother would like it, if she should hear youtell such a monstrous story."
The young man bit his lip. Perhaps he had a kind mother who had taughthim never to tell a lie, even in jest. He quickly recovered his humor,however, though it was evident that Katy's rebuke had not been withoutits effect.
"For how much will you sell me six sticks?" continued the clerk.
"For six cents."
"But that is the retail price; when you sell goods at wholesale youought not to ask so much for them."
"You shall have them for five cents then," replied Katy, struck withthe force of the suggestion.
"I can't afford to give so much as that. I am a poor man. I have to goto the theater twice a week, and that costs me a dollar. Then a rideSunday afternoon costs me three dollars. So you see I don't have muchmoney to spend upon luxuries."
"I hope you don't go out to ride Sundays," said Katy.
"But I do."
"What does your mother say to it?"
The clerk bit his lip again. He did not like these allusions to hismother, who perhaps lived far away in the country, and had taught himto "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Very likely hisconscience smote him, as he thought of her and her blessed teachings inthe far-off home of his childhood.
"I will give you two cents," said the clerk.
"I can't take that; it would hardly pay for the molasses, to saynothing of firewood and labor."
"Call it three cents, then."
"No, sir; the wholesale price is five cents for six sticks."
"But I am poor."
"You wouldn't be poor if you saved up your money, and kept the Sabbath.Your mother----"
"There, there! that's enough. I will take a dozen sticks!" exclaimedthe young man, impatiently interrupting her.
"A dozen?"
"Yes, a dozen, and there are twelve cents."
"But I only ask ten."
"No matter, give me the candy, and take the money," he replied,fearful, it may be, that she would again allude to his mother.
Katy counted out the sticks, wrapped them up in a paper, and put themoney in her pocket. If she had stopped at the door to study the youngman's face, she might have detected a shadow of uneasiness and anxietyupon it. He was a very good-hearted, but rather dissolute, young man,and the allusions she had made to his mother burned like fire in hisheart, for he had neglected her counsels, and wandered from thestraight road in which she had taught him to walk. If she could havefollowed him home, and into the solitude of his chamber, she could haveseen him open his desk, and write a long letter to his distantmother--a duty he had too long neglected. We may not follow thefortunes of this young man, but if we could, we might see how a fewwords, fitly spoken, even by the lips of an innocent youth; willsometimes produce a powerful impression on the character; willsometimes change the whole current of a life, and reach forward to thelast day of existence.
Katy, all unconscious of the great work she had done, congratulatedherself on this success, and wished she might find a few more suchcustomers. Glancing into the shop windows as she passed along, toascertain whether there was a good prospect for her, she soon found aninviting field. It was a crockery ware store that she entered thistime, and there were several persons there who seemed not to be verybusy.
"Buy some candy?" said she, presenting the tray to the first person shemet.
"Go home and wash your face," was the ill-natured response.
Was it possible she had come out with a dirty face? No; she had washedherself the last thing she had done. It is true her clothes wereshabby, there was many a patch and darn upon her dress, and its colorshad faded out like the "last rose of summer;" but then the dress wasclean.
"Buy some candy?" said she to another, with a sudden resolution not tobe disturbed by the rudeness of those she addressed.
He took a stick, and threw down a cent, without a word. One more didher a similar favor, and she left the store well satisfied with thevisit. Pretty soon she came to a large piano-forte manufactory, whereshe knew that a great many men were employed. She went up-stairs to thecounting-room, where she sold three sticks, and was about to enter thework-room, when a sign, "No admittance except on business," confrontedher. Should she go on? Did the sign refer to her? She had businessthere, but perhaps they would not be willing to admit that her businesswas very urgent, and she dreaded the indignity of being turned outagain. Her mother had told her there was always a right way and a wrongway. It certainly was not right to enter in the face of a positiveprohibition, and at last she decided to return to the office and askpermission to visit the workshop.
"Please may I go into the workshop?" said she, addressing the man whohad purchased the candy.
"Go in? why not?" replied he, placing his pen behind his ear, andlooking at her with a smile of curiosity.
"Why, it says on the door, 'No admittance except on business.'"
"So it does. Well, I declare, you have got an amount of consciencebeyond your station. No one thinks of taking any notice of that sign.Peddlers and apple men go in without a question."
"I thought you wouldn't let people go in."
"We don't like to have visitors there, for they sometimes do injury,and generally take off the attention of the men from their work. Butyou have got so much conscience about the matter, that you shall notonly go in, but I will go with you, and introduce you."
"Thank you, sir; I won't give you all that trouble. I can introducemyself."
But the bookkeeper led the way to the door, and they entered a largeroom in which a great many men were busily at work.
"Here is a very honest little girl," said her friend, "who has the verybest molasses candy I ever ate. If any of you have a sweet tooth, orany children at home, I advise you to patronize her."
The bookkeeper laughed, and the workmen laughed, as they began to feelin their pockets for loose change. It was evident tha
t the friendlyintroduction was to be of great service to her. She passed along fromone man to another, and almost every one of them bought two or threesticks of candy, and before she had been to all of them her stock wasentirely exhausted. Katy was astonished at her good fortune, and themen were all exceedingly good-natured. They seemed disposed to make apleasant thing of her visit, and to give her a substantial benefit.
"Now, my little girl," said the bookkeeper, "when you wish to visit theworkshop again, you may enter without further permission; and I am surethe men will all be very glad to see you."
"But I want some of that candy," said one of the workmen. "My littlegirl would jump to get a stick."
"Then she shall have some," replied Katy, "for I will go home and getsome more;" and she left the building and hastened home for a furthersupply of the popular merchandise.
"O mother! I have sold out all my candy, and I want a lot more!"exclaimed she, as she rushed into the room, full of excitement andenthusiasm.
"Be calm, child; you will throw yourself into a fever," replied Mrs.Redburn. "You must learn to take things more easily."
"O dear! I have only twenty sticks left. I wish I had a hundred, for Iam sure I could sell them."
"Perhaps it is fortunate you have no more."
"But I must make some more to-night for to-morrow."
"Don't drive round so, Katy. Be reasonable, and don't think too much ofyour success."
But Katy could not stop to argue the matter, though, as she walkedalong the street, she thought of what her mother had said, and tried tocalm the excitement that agitated her. It was hard work to keep fromrunning every step of the way; but her mother's advice must be heeded,and to some extent she succeeded in controlling her violent impulses.As it was, she reached the piano-forte manufactory quite out of breath,and rushed into the workroom as though she had come on an errand ofvital importance to its occupants.
It required but a few minutes to dispose of her small stock of candy.The workmen all hoped she would come again, and she departed highlyelated at her success.
"There, mother, I have sold all the candy. What do you think of that?"said she, as she entered her mother's room, and threw off her bonnetand shawl.
"You have done very well, I had no idea that you could sell more thantwenty or thirty sticks in a day."
"It's a great day's work, mother; and if I can sell half as much in aday, I shall be satisfied. Don't you think I shall be able to supportyou?"
"At this rate you can do much more; but, Katy, I tremble for you."
"Why, mother?"
"You get so excited, and run so, I am afraid it will make you sick."
"O, no, it won't, mother. I feel as strong as a horse. I am not tiredin the least."
"You don't feel so now, because you are so excited by your success."
"I shall get used to it in a little while."
"I hope so, if you mean to follow this business."
"If I mean to? Why mother, what else could I do to make so much money?See here;" and she poured the money she had taken upon the bed-quiltbefore her mother. "One dollar and thirty-six cents, mother! Only thinkof it! But I won't jump so another day; I will take it easy."
"I wish you would."
"I will try very hard; but you can't think how happy I feel! Dear me! Iam wasting my time, when I have to make the candy for to-morrow."
"But, Katy, you must not do any more to-night. You will certainly besick."
"I must make it, mother."
"Your hands are very sore now."
"They are better; and I don't feel tired a bit."
"I will tell you what you may do, if you must make the candy to-night.When you have got the molasses boiled, you may ask Mrs. Colvin, thewasherwoman, to come in and pull it for you; for you are not strongenough to do it yourself."
"I should not like to ask her. She's a poor woman, and it would be justthe same as begging to ask her to give me her work."
"You don't understand me, Katy. She goes out to work whenever she canget a chance. Her price is ten cents an hour. You can engage her forone or two hours, and pay her for her labor. This is the only way youcan get along with this business."
"I will do that. It won't take more than an hour."
Mrs. Colvin was accordingly engaged, though at first she positivelyrefused to be paid for her services; but when Katy told her she shouldwant her for one or two hours every day, she consented to thearrangement. Early in the evening the candy was all made, and Katy'sday's work was finished. Notwithstanding her repeated declaration thatshe was not tired, the bed "felt good" to her, and she slept all themore soundly for the hard work and the good deeds she had done.